Decrease in throughput of biofuels

The throughput of biofuels in the Port of Rotterdam decreased to 4.3 million tonnes in 2011. This was a 6% decrease compared to 2010.

The throughput of ethanol fell 15%, from 2 to 1.7 million tonnes with incoming cargo dropping from 1.2 to 1.1 million tonnes. Along with a decrease in imports from Brazil, there has been almost an entire loss of ethanol imports from Spain since 2010. This is suspected to have been cause by the Abengoa ethanol factory opening in Rotterdam.

Following a two-year decline, the throughput of biodiesel increased by almost 13% to 1.8 million tonnes. Incoming cargo increased by 11%, from 0.9 in 2010 to1.0 million tonnes in 2011. However exports to the UK more than halved.

The throughput of ETBE dropped from 900,000 tonnes in 2010 to 750,000 in 2011. There was a considerable difference particularly in outbound, with a reduction of 40% from 650,000 to 400,000 tonnes.

The Port Authority however expects to see an increase in the intra-European transport of biofuels.

These figures were presented during the 'World Biofuels Markets', which occurred from 13 to 15 March in the Rotterdam WTC.